Edge connector and board latching device for a connector

ABSTRACT

An edge connector (1) having metal latching devices (5) to latch and unlatch a circuit board (4) is disclosed. More particularly the latching devices (5) include a latching section (53) for latching the board (4) and an unlatching section (54) for releasing the board (4).

The present invention relates to an electrical connector, more specifically to an edge connector for a PCB (printed circuit board) and a board latching device to be used with such connector.

An edge connector mounted on a PCB for interconnecting another PCB contains a plurality of contacts along the longitudinal direction thereof for receiving the edge of the another PCB. The edge connector is provided with latching means to latchably hold both edges of the PCBs. Conventionally, the latching means is made from a plastic material and is integral with the connector housing. However, such latching means, made integrally with the housing, are plastic and have inherent problems in that frequent latching and unlatching causes the latching or engaging sections to wear and reduce the latching force to an impractical level.

One approach to solve the above problems may be the use of separate metal members to be mounted on a housing. A metal latch is generally stronger in latching force and more durable. However, it requires additional force when unlatching the PCB. It is especially difficult to unlatch a PCB in an electronic apparatus or the like having a plurality of closely disposed connectors.

It is now proposed to provide a connector having latching devices with improved latching force, durability and unlatching of the PCB and a board latching device for such connector.

The edge connector according to the present invention is an edge connector for interconnecting two PCBs comprising an insulation housing having a plurality of contacts along the longitudinal direction and openings at both ends, and a pair of board latching devices to be inserted and secured in the openings in the insulation housing. Each of the board latching devices is made of a metal plate member comprising a latching section to latch the second circuit board and an unlatching section to release the latching of the second circuit board.

Additionally, the board latching device for a connector according to the present invention is integrally made of a metal plate member. It features the provision of a retaining section to mount in an opening in an insulation housing of a connector, a board latching section to latch a circuit board and an unlatching section to externally release the latching of the circuit board by the board latching section. That is, the board latching devices are secured in the openings in the connector housing and provided with the unlatching section outside of the board latching section for releasing the latching of the PCB by the board latching section through external finger operation.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the housing for the edge connector according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the housing in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the housing having board latching devices and contacts installed therein;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view along the line IV--IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partial enlarged view of the right hand portion of the above housing;

FIG. 6 is the front view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is the right side view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view along the line VIII--VIII in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view along the line IX--IX in FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the board latching device used in the above embodiment;

FIG. 11 is the right side view of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is the front view of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is the back view of FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is the left side view of FIG. 10;

FIG. 15 is the bottom view of FIG. 10;

FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view along the line XVI--XVI in FIG. 11;

FIG. 17 is a cross sectional view of the edge portion of the housing having the board latching device secured in the opening thereof;

FIG. 18 is a central cross sectional view of the housing having the contacts and the board latching device installed therein (with the latching device hatched); and

FIG. 19 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 18 further having a circuit board mounted thereon.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail hereunder by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a plan view, a front view, and a front view of an insulation housing 2 of the edge connector 1 of FIG. 3. Housing 2 has a large number of contacts 3 (see FIG. 4) inserted in parallel with each other along the longitudinal direction thereof. Each contact 3 has a tine 31 extending outwardly from the bottom of the housing 2 for making electrical connection with one of two PCBs.

There are two openings 21 at both ends of the housing 2 to insert and secure board latching devices 5 for latching another circuit board (as referred to by a reference number 4 in FIG. 19). The detailed construction of the both ends is discussed hereinafter by reference to FIGS. 5 through 9. Also, the detailed construction of the board latching devices 5 will be illustrated in FIGS. 10 through 16.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 9, there are symmetrically formed a pair of openings 21 to receive and retain the latching devices 5 therein Illustrated in FIG. 5 is the right hand end portion in FIGS. 1 through 3. FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate plan, front and right side views, respectively. FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view along the line VIII--VIII in FIG. 5 and FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view along the line IX--IX in FIG. 6. The opening 21 has an elongated receiving cavity 21a for receiving base section 51 of the metal latching device 5 as illustrated in FIGS. 10 through 16. A slot portion 22 (see FIG. 17) having a step portion 22a is provided to engage with a hook portion 52 of the latching device 5 inserted in the opening 21 from the above, thereby preventing the latching device 5 from being pulled out in the above direction.

The board latching device 5 is made of a metal plate member and has a board latching section 53 extending laterally with a curved surface 53a above a U-shaped (in cross section) base section 51 having the above mentioned hook section 52. It also has an unlatching section 54 extending horizontally above the board latching section 53. The unlatching section 54 allows the upper half portion of the latching device 5 as well as the latching section 53 to deform sideways (in the direction A) by pushing it down by a finger, thereby releasing the circuit board 4 latched by the latching section 53.

When the circuit board 4 is inserted in the direction B in FIG. 10, a side edge 4a of the circuit board 4 rides over the curved surface 53a of the latching section 53 (by resiliently bending the upper half of the latching device 5) for engagement with the latching section 53. In this manner, the edge of the circuit board 4 is received in the contacts 3 in the housing 2 for making electrical connection.

In order to unlatch the circuit board 4, the unlatching section 54 is pushed sideward from the above, thereby resiliently deforming the upper half of the latching device 5 outwardly from the engaging location of the latching section 53 with the circuit board 4.

As mentioned above, the connector according to the present invention is made of a metal plate member and comprises the retaining section (the hook section 52 on the base section 51) for mounting on the housing 2, the latching section 53 for engaging with the circuit board 4 and the unlatching section 54 for releasing the engagement. It is, therefore, excellent in mechanical strength, durable and easy to remove the circuit board 4 by simply pushing the unlatching section 54 by a finger.

The formation of the curved surface 53a at the latching section 53 allows the engagement with the circuit board 4 to be released by guiding the side edge of the circuit board 4 along the curved surface 53a even if an excessive force is applied to the circuit board 4 from the back side of the connector (e.g., when the operator pushed the circuit board 4 from the back side of the connector by mistake). This is important to prevent the board latching devices 5 and the retaining sections therefor in the housing 2 from being broken.

It should be understood that the shape of the board latching device may not be limited to the particular embodiment and may be modified in many ways without departing from the spirit of the invention as long as the above mentioned functions are maintained. 

We claim:
 1. An edge connector for electrically interconnecting a first circuit board and a second circuit board, the connector having an insulating housing and a plurality of contacts for receiving and electrically engaging the second circuit board, a pair of board latching devices are positioned in openings at each end of the housing, each latching device is made from a separate resilient material and has a latching section for latching the second circuit board in position relative to the housing, and an unlatching section for releasing the second circuit board, the unlatching section extend above the latching section, whereby as a force is applied to the unlatching section in a direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing, the unlatching section will cooperate with the latching section to move the latching section away from the second circuit board.
 2. The edge connector of claim 1 wherein the latching devices are made from metal plates.
 3. The edge connector of claim 1 characterized in that the unlatching section includes a curved surface above a U-shaped base section.
 4. The edge connector of claim 3 characterized in that the latching section extends laterally relative to the base section.
 5. The edge connector of claim 3 characterized in that the unlatching section extends outwardly of the latching section.
 6. The edge connector of claim 5 characterized in that the unlatching section extends horizontally relative to the latching section. 